Away from the race track Bill Jenkins was an affable man with lots of friends and stories. At the track, he was as serious as a heart attack, not all that friendly a dude, and an intense competitor. A couple weeks back we showed you epic match race footage from a long dead drag strip in Canada called Boundary Bay Raceway featuring a battle between Grumpy Jenkins and Dick Landy. New video has surfaced from the same YouTube account that posted the match race video that captures an interview done by Grumpy Jenkins during the race. He’s about as excited to do this interview as we would be to have dental work done with no anesthesia.
We’re not sure why, but the interviewer sits in a fine looking mid-1970s Pontiac during the interview with Jenkins speaking to him through the open car window. This is a seldom seen interviewing technique, especially on television where the idea of a person speaking to a disembodied voice doesn’t play all that well.
Things go from odd to 100% perfection quickly as Jenkins grunts out a few answers, gives an honest opinion on the traction available and then basically says he won’t be back to the place ever again. It is like perfection wrapped in thick cut bacon. There’s nothing better than this. NOTHING!
Press play to see Grumpy Jenkins speak the truth unwillingly in Canada!
Grumpy was certainly that at the track, all business, not a chatty guy. However, he did slow down on the return road one time to check out my girlfriend (now wife) so he was actually human, despite rumors to the contrary.
Even this Ford Guy has a story of Da Grump.
Baik in 80 or 81,82ish I busted tires in Simi Valley Ca. One of our customers was Harry Scribner a “privateer” Pro Stoker Owner/Driver. He put to gether a Cougar P/S with all the normal polished stuff plated Gold(?). Many magazine cars at the time did the gold trim,it was the 80’s. Anyway because even at 17-20 years old I took care of others things so I got to mount all tires for the non normal stuff including 14/32 Good Year slicks with tubes.
So because of my good work I earned a crew pass to the Winter Nationals. Tom,Dick and Harry where having trouble getting down track,perfecting the rear gear and the Lenco gear . I was basicly handing out rags and fetching tools. The Lenco was spread out on the trailer floor when a round man with cigar came in,holly !@#$. He stayed about 15 minutes layed out the gear spread plan,rear gear and a few other tweeks and was gone. I just said hello, he asked what I did,how is school etc just talked all the while setting the Scribneers strait on the set up. Very matter of fact but did not come off as a prick at all !
I think “we” (lol) qaulified and went out first round. Years later I stopped by Jenkins pit at Firebird and he remembered me and ask who I was crewing for ! Nobody. I was in the Air Force. He then asked what I did,etc etc….
As a Ford guy I was supposed to hate him ,just couldn’t do it.
Great story.
This is funny , I lived not to far from this ” so called ” track . It’s actually an airport , I would have been 14 when this was shot in 1974 and had no idea they were trying to use it as a track . I do remember guys street racing out there in the late 70s .
Boundary bay was an old ww2 air field lumpy concrete etc. . How much did they pay those guys to show up? Thank goodness Mission Raceway opened up again
The sitting interview thing is because the interviewer, Rick James, was a paraplegic, The car was his way to get around at the track.
The airport still exists, two miles from me! The strip ran southeastward, they only ran till 1975 but around 1980 that same spot was the scene of some hugely attended illegal races that got the place padlocked. and fenced for good. There was a one time only race on another runway (heading west) around 2005 that was put on by the RCMP and brought the ire of the mayor who decreed no further non-aviation activity there.
Wow! I remember the few races they held there, never knew Legends like Grumpy , Landy were there!
I remember, the Grump was Crew Chief for Joe Lepone racing. Since Mr lepone wasn’t a big star it was pretty easy to get time with him. My son was 8 or 9 years old and good at getting autographs. I sent him over to the Grump for an autograph, he got it but hurried back to my side. “Carl did that guy seem kinda grumpy? Yeah Dad he did” (with all the innocence of a young boy) “Well Carl, that’s his name, Grumpy Jenkins” He took some time to digest that, and actually thought that was pretty cool. We probably sat with Joe Lepone for an hour or so, I liked him, he was proud as he should have been to have Mr Jenkins as he Crew Chief. I think it was 88 or 89 that Joe made it to the final round and the Winternationals in Pomona. We were rooting for him as he went up against the guy that dominated Pro Stock every race Bob Glidden. Joe bulbed in that final round… another spectator looked at me and said “He had to redlight, because that is the only way in the world he would have ever gotten to the other end ahead of Bob Glidden” He was right, Glidden was unstoppable but Lepone was a good competitor, he had to be, Bill Jenkins had faith in him.
Match race Wichita early 70’s. Grump was in his gen 2 BBC car. We all gathered around him in the pits to hear some pearls of wisdom. He was setting valves and chewing a cigar. He got done, looked over the fender and said: “Before we get started, I don’t answer stupid questions.” Got real quiet before a few good questions popped up. Didn’t take long for him to be back to work.
yup I was there…a 15 year old in awe…
Awesome guy, he slayed the field with a Generation 1 SBC Pro Stock style motor and a 4 speed, 72 Vega. ( I had the good fortune of meeting him at Temple/Academy (Little River) Dragway. Not much of an interview, but watched him prep the car – meticulous is almost an understatement. Met Linda Sickles (SPELL??) that same day, driving a black 72 Nova called Pestilence (her husband was her pit crew). I’ll never forget that weekend – saw my first Funny car up close and personal – Reep and Fendley’s Blown Glass – that began my romance with blower motors – from taking pictures at the finish line listening to those blowers whine… yeah baby! Thanks for bringing back the good memories guys.